Cool Finds
Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Clay Puppets With Open Mouths and Detachable Heads That 'Resemble Modern Toy Dolls'
The figurines were discovered in a largely unexcavated site in El Salvador. Some 2,400 years ago, they were controlled by strings that passed through their necks
Human Ancestors Were Making Bone Tools One Million Years Earlier Than Previously Thought
Archaeologists have discovered a collection of prehistoric animal bones in Tanzania that suggests early humans figured out how to transfer tool-making techniques "from stone to bone" 1.5 million years ago
A Fisherman and His Son Noticed Strange Pieces of Wood on a Beach. They Turned Out to Be Fragments of a Polynesian Canoe
The boat, known as a waka, was unearthed in the Chatham Islands. Researchers say it could be one of the most significant discoveries of its kind
Ancient Tomb Decorated With Stunning Reliefs and a Mysterious Inscription Discovered Beneath a Courtyard in Turkey
Found in the province of Şanlıurfa, the rock tomb features depictions of a reclining man and two winged women alongside an illegible inscription
Eagle-Eyed Experts Say They've Solved the Mystery of a Missing Masterpiece—Half a Century After It Was Stolen
Brueghel's famous 17th-century painting "Woman Carrying the Embers" vanished from a Polish museum in 1974. Fifty years later, it's been rediscovered at a museum in the Netherlands
Archaeologists in Denmark Discover 4,000-Year-Old Circle of Wooden Posts Resembling Stonehenge
The monument once featured more than 80 posts, which formed a circle measuring nearly 100 feet across. Its prehistoric builders may have used it as a ritual site
Archaeologists Say They've Unearthed Britain's Largest Known Viking-Age Building Beneath a Family Farm
A team of experts and enthusiasts discovered the structure at High Tarns Farm in northwest England. Researchers think it dates to between the late 10th and early 11th centuries
This 18th-Century Sketch by a Renowned English Portraitist Was Hiding in a Dumpster in New York
The tiny drawing by artist George Romney depicts Henrietta, Countess of Warwick. It will be sold at an upcoming auction in London
See the Stunning Frescoes of a Mysterious Dionysian Cult Discovered in Ancient Pompeii
Created more than a century before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., the wall paintings provide rare insights into secret rituals conducted in the Roman city
Suitcase Belonging to the Legendary Archaeologist Who Discovered King Tut's Tomb Surfaces in England
Howard Carter used the luggage while working in Egypt before giving it to a fellow researcher in 1939. Now, it's heading to the auction block
Can You Identify the Mystery Photographer Who Captured Thousands of Captivating Images of 1960s San Francisco?
Discovered in an abandoned storage locker, the 2,042 processed color slides and 102 rolls of black-and-white film depict key moments in the city's history
Meet the 'Wooly Devil,' the First New Plant Genus Discovered in a National Park Since 1976
A volunteer spotted the tiny, fuzzy plant with maroon florets while exploring the remote northern corner of Big Bend National Park in Texas
Metal Detectorists Stumble Upon a Rare 2,000-Year-Old Roman Sword in Poland
Researchers think the weapon, which had been deliberately broken and burned, was once part of a funerary ritual for a local warrior
Fossil Tour Guide Discovers Giant, Purple Dinosaur Footprint While Walking Along a U.K. Beach
The roughly three-foot-long, clay print speaks to the Isle of Wight's rich paleontological history, but it will probably disappear within a couple of months due to exposure
Researchers Thought It Was Just a Fortress. It Turned Out to Be a Lost Zapotec City
Lidar scans have revealed a 600-year-old fortified city in southern Mexico that boasted ball courts, roads, neighborhoods and temples
See a Deep-Sea Oarfish Caught Alive on Video in a Rare Encounter on a Beach in Mexico
In Japanese folklore, appearances of these elusive marine creatures dubbed ‘doomsday fish’ are believed to foreshadow earthquakes, though scientists found no strong relationship between these events in a recent study
Archaeologists Say They've Discovered the First Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh's Tomb Since Tutankhamun's in 1922
Researchers initially thought the tomb belonged to a royal wife. Then they unearthed fragments of alabaster jars that identified it as Thutmose II's
Vivid Wall Paintings Unearthed at a 2,500-Year-Old Etruscan Necropolis in Italy
Found beneath an older tomb near Tarquinia, the painted chamber depicts several intricate scenes, including a metallurgical workshop
This 1,600-Year-Old Filter Helped Ancient Drinkers Sip Beverages Through a Straw
Archaeologists discovered an unusual bronze artifact studded with holes while excavating the ancient city of Hadrianopolis in Türkiye
This 17th-Century ‘Lovers’ Ring’ Unearthed in England Is Marked by a Romantic Inscription
Found near a historic property in Lancashire, the ring represents a history of affectionate gifts
Page 1 of 268